DMK may go on the offensive

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, AUG. 15. The DMK MLAs will meet here on August 17 to decide on the strategy to be adopted during the budget session.

With many issues hogging the limelight from the time the last session was prorogued, the party is expected to go on the offensive. The last session, the DMK was on the defensive throughout.

``Like always, the DMK will fulfil its legislative responsibilities in a democratic manner,'' the president, Mr. M. Karunanidhi, said.

Asked whether the communication gap between the ruling and the Opposition parties was responsible for the peculiar problems in the State, he shot back: ``There is no communication between the two parties (AIADMK and DMK). So where is the question of a gap?.''

Commenting on the Chief Minister, Ms.Jayalalithaa's remark that the police were carrying out their job competently, he said she might have wanted to sound humorous on the Independence day.

Answering a question on a controversial hoarding, on which his picture and that of Christ carrying a cross were depicted alongside, Mr. Karunanidhi said he had ordered the billboard removed immediately.

During her previous regime, Ms.Jayalalithaa was shown as Mother Mary, and hoardings appeared all over the State.

In this case, it was only one billboard put up by some misguided cadre, he added.

On journalists undertaking a fast today, Mr. Karunanidhi said it was a reflection on the state of affairs in Tamil Nadu. ``As a journalist I have condemned the circumstances that journalists face now many times,'' he said.

League condemns

The Tamil Nadu State Indian Union Muslim League condemned the parallel drawn between the sufferings of Christ and those of Mr. Karunanidhi.

In a statement here, its secretary, Mr. K. A. Abdul Wahab, said Mr. Karunanidhi had to apologise to the Christian community for this act of his party.

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